Merlin's Own
by Wanter-of-Self
Summary: AU. It was foretold by Merlin himself several centuries ago when humanity left the magical world of Avalon that they might one day return.…
1. Flames Anew

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Harry Potter series including it's wonderful characters, and I don't own the Merlin Saga with it's characters and ideas.

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Tobias had been told by his dying father, nearly twelve years ago, that his son would have vast powers. Powers that would surpass Merlin's, powers that would help him guide humanity back to the magical world of Avalon… as if! Even if he was a squib, Tobias knew that Avalon didn't exist, or if it had, it was no longer around today, and he knew that there could never be anyone as powerful as his many times great grandfather, Merlin.

The Snape family wasn't very well known in the Wizarding World, neither had the Lott family been very well known, nor the Catha family whom came before the Lott family. And only the oldest of the old had heard whispers of the Eopia family. Which, ironically, all of the witches and wizards alive were related to the Eopias, distantly of course. Except for the Snapes, the Lotts, and Cathas; they were the _true_ descendants of the man known as Olo Eopia, or more commonly known as Merlin.

However being the true descendants of Merlin had its ups and downs. For example, many witches and wizards today hardly lived past 150 years of age, while the true descendants of Merlin could live on for centuries at a time, if they so choose. Also, more often than not every other descendant inherited Merlin's magic – mostly from grandparent to grandchild. Leaving a great many unlucky… or lucky, it all depended on their opinion.

Tobias William Snape considered himself to be one of the unlucky descendants of Merlin. He, like Merlin's father and son, didn't have a lick of magic in him. The only satisfaction Tobias could find in that was that his ankle bitter of a son would most likely have to deal with a squib as a kid… if he ever reproduced.

As of right now, Tobias sat on the battered couch in his equally battered den, dead drunk, watching the telly with his beady black eyes; his greasy black hair was hanging in curtains around his shallow face and hooked nose. He was certain that Eileen was in the kitchen, cooking him dinner and that son of his was in there with her. He grunted as he scratched his chin, annoyed at the prickly stubble on it, "Eileen!" he slurred, determined to do away with the blasted stubble on his chin, "Come 'ere, witch!"

Eileen sighed and offered a weary encouraging smile to her son as she placed the wooden spoon in his hands, "Take over will you Sev?" she asked softly as she wiped her hands on her apron and left the tiny kitchen, leaving the eleven-year-old to finish cooking.

Severus let out a similar sigh and picked up a rickety chair and carried it over to the stove, knowing that dragging it over would do nothing but irritate his father further, "Sure mum," he answered even though she had already left. "Anything for you." He sat down on to the chair quietly and began to stir the soup that his mother had managed to pull together with a few scraps of food from their fridge. From the other room, he heard his parent's voices begin to rise, until they were screaming at each other; a sorrowful tear fought its way past Severus's iron hold. He hated it when his parents fought, he normally would leave the house and talk with Lily if she was at the park; he had learned at a young age that he only made things worse if he tried to interfere.

He flinched as he heard his father's hand connecting with his mother's skin, another tear fell down his face, this time from rage. What right did his father have to beat them? What had they ever done to them? He stirred the soup furiously as he heard another hit from the den, he had nearly had enough. "Come on you foul troll," Severus snarled wrathfully, but quietly. "Hit her one more time, I dare you." After waiting a few more moments, he heard the unmistakable sound of his father's meaty paw hitting his mother.

With that, he jumped gracefully off of the chair and walked into the den with the wooden spoon in hand, his eyes like freshly formed obsidian. He uttered quietly, "Leave her alone," it was hardly loud enough to be heard over his father's unidentifiable roars.

Tobias turned away from his wife and found his scrawny son standing before him, glaring at him wrathfully, "Why?" he questioned, heavily slurring.

"Do not question me!" Severus snarled.

"You widdle runt!" his father bellowed, staggering towards him. "Yeh'll no' talk back ter me!"

"Tobias, STOP!" Severus heard his mother shout, he chanced a quick glance at her and saw fear in her eyes, whether for him or for his father, he didn't know. Severus's magic was wild at best, and it was even more hectic when he was angered.

The foul troll stopped and looked back at her, "Shuddup bitch!" and then he started towards his son again, only to notice that he was no longer standing there, "Where'd he go!" he shouted, turning in crazed circles – barely staying upright – looking for his devil of a son. "Where'd yeh go!" he shouted once again.

"Here father dearest," Severus sneered from behind him, easily making his fat father trip over his own feet and fall flat on his face when he tried to turn around quickly, causing him to howl in pain and anger.

"Yeh bloody widdle mistake!" he roared, too drunk to stand again. "I should 'ave killed yeh at birf! I'll kill yeh, I will!"

Severus paid no mind to his idiotic father as he turned his attention to his mother who was sporting a black eye and a broken nose and hand. He dashed over to her side and said urgently, "The soup caught fire, we need to get out of here – do you need help?"

Fear was alight in her eyes as she shook her head, shakily she stood with a little bit of his help. He then helped her out of the front door, leaving his father who was now passed out on the floor. Eileen stopped suddenly, remembering that her wand was still in the house, "Wait, Severus, my wand…"

Severus stopped and looked up at his mother, "Try and summon it!" he shouted, knowing it wouldn't be long before the fire spread all throughout the house.

"Sev… you know I can't perform wandless magic…" she trailed off, staring at the flames that were spreading rapidly throughout the hell hole she had called home.

He shook his head and tried to focus his wayward magic, trying with all of the might in his eleven-year-old body to summon it from the depths of who knows where. He closed his eyes, _"Come to me!" _he called within himself, _"If there was ever a good time for you to act up, now would be it!"_ He still felt nothing, _"Please!" _Like a flower blossoming within him, he felt his wayward magic bubbling up and focusing in his outstretched hand. His eyes snapped open, and he shouted forcefully, "Accio mother's wand!"

It didn't take long for the slightly blackened 14" Oak wand to come flying through the flames and smoke directly into Severus's outstretched hand, who quickly gave it to his mother, who then shoved it into her apron pocket. They then turned and continued walking as quickly as they could away from the burning house, quickly forgetting the fact that this was the first time that Severus had actually controlled his haphazard magic.

As soon as they had crossed the street, there was a loud boom; Severus guessed that the fire had found its way down to the basement where his mother had kept all of her brewing supplies. Not too far way they heard the wailing of sirens, apparently someone had called the constables, either for the shouting and screaming coming from their house or for the fire. In rapid succession, a fire truck and several constable cars came roaring around the corner, stopping right in front of their house. An ambulance came around the corner a few moments later, stopping just a few feet from them.

Severus and Eileen watched in fascination as the Muggles attempted to put out the flames, _"So that's how they do it…" _Severus thought, his mother's thoughts very nearly mirroring his own. A man and a woman jumped out of the ambulance and rushed over to them, seeing that they were hurt.

"Madam, will you come with us? I can take care of that for you," the man said kindly, gesturing to her broken nose, "Your son can come along too." He added, smiling down at Severus, who was suspicious of him.

"Thank you," Eileen stated, not sounding kind or malicious, she was suspicious of him also.

"Come on," the woman said, sensing that they weren't too fond of males, "My name's Rose, and this is my colleague Oliver, we'll help you; I might even have a lollie for you young man." She smiled at Severus, whose suspicion rose.

Rose took over helping Eileen walk, Severus still stayed very close to her as he walked beside them, probably looking far braver than he felt. He surreptitiously looked the man and woman over – Oliver, he supposed his name was according to the lady, Rose, had short dirty blonde hair with warm vivid green eyes, very nearly the same as Lily's…. Rose had red hair that was pulled into French braid and had kind blue eyes, _"He has Lily's eyes and she has Lily's hair..."_ He mused. Both seemed nice enough, but Severus was still suspicious. He couldn't help it, it was in his nature.

When they got to the ambulance, Rose had his mother sit down on the rolling cot that they had as she cleaned the blood off of her face and then bandage her nose. She then moved on to bandaging her broken hand, putting a splint on her to keep the hand from moving too much. While she was doing that, Oliver had put a cuff around his mother's arm, Severus knew this to be a blood pressure cuff because when he was four or five, his father had taken him to the park and caused him to break his arm badly – the bone had been sticking out. His mother hadn't been there, because she had been out looking for a job. The Rose lady had been there and immediately dialed 999. The ambulance had taken him to the hospital and had put that cuff on his unbroken arm, and reset the bone and put a cast on it. Of course when he got home, his mother took the cast off and healed the bone, having gone through healer training when she had been younger.

Severus didn't think that Rose remembered him, but he remembered her, she had been very gentle with him even though she didn't have to. She had showed him that not all Muggles were bad. He was pulled from the memory when Rose had started talking to him, "You're that little boy at the park who broke his arm a few years ago, aren't you?"

Severus merely nodded, "I thought so," she said as she finished taping the splint on his mother's hand, "I've never seen anyone with such beautiful dark eyes…" Rose said this mostly to his mother.

"Thank you," Eileen said stiffly, referring to the bandaging and the compliment, and the fact that the EMT hadn't asked what or _who _had done this to her.

Rose smiled, knowing that these two must've been through hell. She turned back to Severus, "Would you like a lollie?"

Severus shook his head no this time, balling his hands tightly, not knowing what had been done to the so called "lollie". Oliver walked past Rose and his mother and walked around to the front of the ambulance, throwing a wink in Severus's direction as he did so. Severus blinked and stared after the strange Muggle, _"What was **that** for?" _The thoughts of Lily and how the two adults looked so much like her had vanished from his mind.

"Did your husband do this to you?" Rose asked suddenly, both Severus and Eileen stiffened but neither said a word, which was an answer in itself. Rose sighed and began to put her medical instruments away, casting looks over her shoulder at what was left of the Snape reisdent, "If you need a place to stay, you-"

"I have other family," Eileen said stiffly, looking the Muggle right in the eye.

Just then a constable walked over and asked, "Was this your house, ma'am?"

"Yes," Eileen answered while standing and getting out of the ambulance to walk over to Severus, even more suspicious of this man.

"Terribly sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all, "I'll need to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind coming with me over to the station."

"I don't have much of a choice now do I?" Eileen asked sarcastically as she pulled Severus closer to her.

"If you'll just follow me-" he was cut off by the other man, Oliver who had come back.

"I'm sorry, but they need to get to a hospital, I can't allow you to take them." As he said this, he positioned himself so he was standing between them and the constable.

The scrawny Bobbie scratched his head as if he was having difficulty processing what Oliver had said, once he had sorted it out, he said, "All right, but after that, I'll need to question them about what happened."

"You can come and visit the hospital in a few days to question them," Rose said, standing between them and the constable also.

The scrawny man nodded and walked off, heading back over to the other constables. Both Eileen and Severus let out a sigh of relief, neither of them wanting to be questioned about what had happened.

Rose and Oliver turned back to them, Eileen said, "Thank you, I have no desire to speak with anyone right now, particularly that hollow-headed twit."

The two EMTs had to fight hard not to laugh, "Ernie can be a bit slow… most days," Rose said, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"I went to school with him, and he was never the sharpest tool in the shed…" Oliver added, smiling.

"I can tell," Eileen said dryly, looking over at the group of constables who were doing nothing but standing there. "Do Severus and I really need to go to the hospital?" she questioned.

Rose looked over at her colleague before answering, "No, I don't see any reason for you to, but if you give me your relative's address, Oliver and I could give you a lift over there once we get off work."

Severus and Eileen exchanged glances before she answered, "That won't be necessary-"

"Nonsense," Rose interrupted her, "Ollie and I don't mind."

"It really isn't necessary," Eileen said a little more forcefully, trying to get it through their heads that they didn't need help.

"Listen," Oliver said, folding his arms across his chest. "Your house just burnt down. It's the least Rose and I can do to help."

"We have to take you both away from here in the ambulance anyways so Ernie won't get suspicious," Rose added. "You both could wait in one of the free rooms at the hospital until we get off then we can take you to your family's house."

Severus told his mother, "They do have a point mum, the truck got burnt up too," he pointed to the charred remains of his father's truck.

Eileen sighed, and reluctantly agreed, "Fine, take us to the bloody hospital." She and Severus clambered into the back of the ambulance along with Rose; Oliver jogged around to the front and turned the engine on and drove off.

From within the nearby woods, a particularly odd looking fellow watched as the Evanses drove what remained of the Snapes away – he had a sideways growing beard and a lopsided hat, giving him a comical appearance. His dark eyes seemed both very young and very old, and despite this incredibly strange and comical appearance, there was something hauntingly serious about him. His smile broadened as he realized that he had found the one at last, _"Severus, you and I will become grand friends… I must get to you before **he **does though…"_

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Mm'kay, here's the first chapter for the other story that I mentioned in the intermission for IGWSF, the Merlin Saga is a bunch of books written by T.A. Barron for those of you that don't know and it's about Merlin (obviously) and how he came to be the powerful wizard that we all know, blah blah blah.

Anyways, I'm not too sure what genre I should put it under... so be warned if I change it from time to time :)

Please review! Y'know ya want too! Just click in that little box down there, and type a lovely little (or big) review for me!


	2. Eli and Aaron

**Disclaimer:** I'm not J.K Rowling or T.A Barron, I'm merely borrowing ideas from them both

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_"Listen," Oliver said, folding his arms across his chest. "Your house just burnt down. It's the least Rose and I can do to help."_

_"We have to take you both away from here in the ambulance anyways so Ernie won't get suspicious," Rose added. "You both could wait in one of the free rooms at the hospital until we get off then we can take you to your family's house."_

_Severus told his mother, "They do have a point mum, the truck got burnt up too," he pointed to the charred remains of his father's truck._

_Eileen sighed, and reluctantly agreed, "Fine, take us to the bloody hospital." She and Severus clambered into the back of the ambulance along with Rose; Oliver jogged around to the front and turned the engine on and drove off._

_From within the nearby woods, a particularly odd looking fellow watched as the Evanses drove what remained of the Snapes away – he had a sideways growing beard and a lopsided hat, giving him a comical appearance. His dark eyes seemed both very young and very old, and despite this incredibly strange and comical appearance, there was something hauntingly serious about him. His smile broadened as he realized that he had found the one at last,_ _**"Severus, you and I will become grand friends… I must get to you before **__**he **__**does though…"**_

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Lily arrived home that day from school and the last two people she expected to be there were sitting in her kitchen; her best friend, Severus, and his mother. Their clothes were covered in soot, as if they had been in a fire. Her book bag dropped to the floor along with her jaw when she saw them, "Severus?" she exclaimed, easily gaining his attention. "What are you two doing here?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but his mother beat him to it, "Our house burned down, and your parents were kind enough to offer us a ride to a family member's house." Somehow, both Rose and Oliver had managed to talk her into she and Severus staying at their house until they were off work, instead of in an extra hospital room. How two Muggles managed to outfox a former Slytherin, Eileen would never know.

Her mouth formed an 'O' when she heard that, "I'm terribly sorry to hear that… will you stay here for at least a day or two then?" she asked in a chipper tone.

Eileen smiled softly, that was the best thing about ten-year-olds, they never dwelled on depressing topics for long. "No, your parents will take us over to London when they get off work." She answered, her voice tightening ever so slightly.

Lily nodded and started rocking back and forth on her heels with her hands clasped behind her back, smiling sweetly at the Snapes. She then thought of something, and stopped her movement altogether, "You will come back and visit now and then, won't you?" She asked, worried.

Severus looked to his mother, who thought for a moment, before she nodded, "Yes, of course," both Severus and Lily let out a sigh of relief.

Just then, Petunia, Lily's older sister walked in, she was incredibly jealous of Lily and Severus being magical, but she would _never_ let them know that. And when she found them in the kitchen, she was going to sneer at them, but knew better as there was an adult in there as well, not to mention she was one of _them. _"Mrs. Snape, Snape," she said coolly, nodding to them in turn, before she turned and stalked out of the kitchen with her nose high in the air.

Severus and Lily rolled their eyes, and his mother narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched Petunia leave, "She's a right snot, isn't she?" Eileen asked, which caused Severus and Lily to burst into giggles.

"Tuney can be mean," Lily said, mirth twinkling in her eyes. "Especially to our kind…" she added, sobering up.

Both Eileen and Severus's eyes flashed, but neither said anything, knowing that there would always be people like that... and there was nothing that could be done about it.

After another moment of Lily continuing her rocking, she asked, "My parents won't be home for a while now, may Severus and I go and play at the park?"

Severus looked hopefully at his mother, who seemed to be thinking this over, looking worriedly at the table before her; she had no idea if Tobias had perished in that fire or not, and she didn't want to risk her son and his best friend running into him. Although she highly doubted that he survived that, being as drunk as he was and how quickly the flames spread throughout the house… something was nagging at her. She quickly brushed it aside, "Yes, but be back in an hour."

Severus flashed his mother a bright smile, his home catching fire had been the best thing that had happened to him since the day that he had met Lily. The red-haired girl smiled at Eileen and snatched Severus's hand up and dragged him to the outdoors, leaving her bag in the middle of the floor. Smiling softly to herself, Eileen took out her wand and levitated the bag out of the way, and let it rest against the wall. She then thought about how Severus's face had lit up when Lily had grabbed his hand, remembering a time long ago when she had had a friend like that.

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"Eli! Let's play a game of Chess!" Aaron said excitedly, he loved to watch the animated pieces come alive and fight like real Kings and Queens of old.

"Aaron, you do realize that that's _all_ that you've wanted to do for the past three days?" Eileen asked as she tucked him in under the duvet more comfortably, he had been confined to his bed since a few days ago.

"So?" he asked, giving her his best and most pitiful imploring look, "Mum said that you had to do what _I_ wanted, and _I_ want to play Chess." He declared firmly, a gleam in his innocent blue-green eyes clearly declared that he had already won the argument even though his older sister, Eli, hadn't even replied.

She smiled sweetly at him, knowing that she could never deny him what he wanted, even if it got her in trouble. Her smile faltered slightly as she recalled what the Medi-witch, Madam Pomfrey, or something other, had diagnosed her baby brother with, Vanishing sickness, which was highly contagious. But for some reason, Eileen was immune to it, so it was up to her to take care of her brother… and to watch him die slowly as bit by bit, his vital organs disappeared.

Freeing herself of such depressing thoughts, she poked his nose and said, "Alright, just one round, but then it's off to bed with you, a little man like you needs his rest!" she said as she stood and retrieved the board and it's pieces from underneath his bed, it never ceased to amaze her how his eyes lit up just at the sight of a chess board. A relaxed smile stayed on her face throughout all three of their games, she had let him win the first one, then she won the second so he wouldn't get suspicious, and she let him win the third one, because she was ever thankful of the happy giggles that her brother emitted, and the way he beamed at her when he knew he was only moves away from winning.

She put the board away and smiled softly as she saw his eyes drooping, "What happened to only-" he let out an enormous yawn, cutting his sentence in two, "-playing one game?"

Still smiling, she answered, "Playing chess until you tire out is the only way on the face of the earth to get you asleep at a reasonable hour."

He nodded, sliding down lower beneath the covers and asked her their special question as he always had before he went to sleep, "So where does the source of music lie?"

"Is it in the strings themselves? Or in the hands that pluck them?" She replied softly as she tucked him in better; he was asleep in seconds, allowing Eileen to watch his steady breathing with sadness. How much longer did he have to live, before his brain, lungs, or heart disappeared? How would she go on without her sweet Aaron when… _that _day finally came? A tear trickled down her cheek; she wouldn't – _couldn't_ – go on without him. He was her sunshine on a rainy day, her escape from the world… her best friend.

As she stood there watching him, she noticed that the covers weren't rising and falling any more, another tear trickled down her cheek, "Aaron?" she croaked, hoping that he was just goading her on, but he did not stir, "Aaron?" she asked louder, he still did not move. A choked sob escaped from her throat as she fell to her knees by his bed, sobbing hysterically.

She hadn't realize it, but her grieving brought her parents up to his room, catching the Vanishing sickness was no longer a fear. Numbly she felt them trying to pull her away from her best friend, and she resisted, calling out his name, pleading him to come back. But he did not; she was pulled from the room and her mother brought her into the parlour, holding her in her lap and crying along with her.

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Sorry, I know that this one took a long time, but I just couldn't think of anything for this chapter, I have a few others planed out in my head, but just not this one... I hope you liked it!

And yes, Vanishing sickness is real in the world of Harry Potter. I looked it up on Harry Potter Wiki... I don't know how reliable that site is, but *shrugs* whatever.

And just f.y.i, I don't plan on Petunia being like she was in cannon, in fact she'll only be that way for a few more chapters, so if you don't like that, that's a shame.

And yes, Lily is a year younger than Severus, this world is going mostly different from cannon... loads of things will. So as I said before, if you don't like that, then don't read it.

Review please!


	3. Meeting Grandpa Prince

**Disclaimer: **I'm not J.K Rowling or T.A Barron, I'm merely borrowing ideas from them both

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_As she stood there watching him, she noticed that the covers weren't rising and falling any more, another tear trickled down her cheek, "Aaron?" she croaked, hoping that he was just goading her on, but he did not stir, "Aaron?" she asked louder, he still did not move. A choked sob escaped from her throat as she fell to her knees by his bed, sobbing hysterically._

_She hadn't realize it, but her grieving brought her parents up to his room, catching the Vanishing sickness was no longer a fear. Numbly she felt them trying to pull her away from her best friend, and she resisted, calling out his name, pleading him to come back. But he did not; she was pulled from the room and her mother brought her into the parlour, holding her in her lap and crying along with her._

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The odd fellow with the sideways growing beard and lopsided hat and both young and old dark eyes was walking through the woods, barefooted and absolutely content with himself. He was even humming one of the older tunes from the legendary island of Fincayra. He couldn't remember the translated version of it, so he sang it in the old tongue, "Hy gododin catann hue, hud a lledrith mal wyddan! Gaunce ae bellawn wen cabri, Varigal don Fincayra! Dravia, dravia Fincayra!"

It was then that he heard children giggling, fearing that they might see him and tell their parents that they had seen a strange man in the woods, he broke out in a run, transforming with ease into a ten point stag. He was one of the few deer men still alive, and he felt sorry for those that weren't descendants of the Mellwryn-bri-Meath clan, never to know what it was like to run on four legs.…

Unfortunately for him, he managed to run through young Severus's and his friend's spot, scaring the life out of them. When he was out of the clearing, he slowed down significantly, and turned around and watched their reaction from behind a tree, still as a stag, just in case he needed to leave quickly.

"Sev! Did you see that? A _deer _is in the woods!" The young redhead who was in Severus's company exclaimed; apparently deer weren't common in this part of the mortal world, darn.

"It was kinda hard to miss, Lily," Severus said dryly, but no less surprised than his best friend.

"Let's see if we can find it!" she exclaimed. Instead of bolting like his deer instincts told him too, he stayed rooted to the spot

"Lily, be reasonable," Severus reprimanded. "Didn't you see how fast it was running? It's probably a kilometer away by now. Besides, we promised my mum that we would be back in an hour."

She was about to rebuke him, but knew that he was right, "Why d'you _always_ have to right Sev?" She asked as she sprawled dramatically across the grass in the small clearing.

"I'm not _always_ right!" He scoffed, "It would be better to say that I'm _always_ wrong."

Lily laughed and rolled over, stood up, and then took her friend by the arm, dragging him to his feet, "It's about time that we went back."

The odd fellow, or as he had taken to calling himself, Emrys, quickly morphed back into a human and watched at Severus and whom he guessed to be Lily walked away. Sooner or later, he would have to confront young Severus and let him in on a few secrets as well, like where Ohnyalei was most likely hidden... But for now, he would just shadow the young boy, until the time was right.

When it started raining, Severus and Lily decided to race home, and being the good best friend that he was, Severus let Lily win. They walked into her house, soaking wet, but both had broad grins on their faces, "Where've you two been?" a slightly nasal voice asked.

Lily sighed, "We were playing at the park, Tuney."

"No you weren't," the older girl shot back as she came down the stairs. "I've just been there, and I didn't see either of you."

Severus interjected, "Just because you didn't see us, doesn't mean that we weren't there."

"Yes it does!" Petunia shot back, a little too quickly. "I searched all over that blasted park and I couldn't find either of you!"

Lily shook her head and walked away, Severus didn't hesitate in following the redhead, knowing that he would get worked up and end up having a bout of accidental magic and then something horrid would happen to _Tuney_. Not he really cared what happened to her, but he knew that his mum would be disappointed in him, and he **hated** disappointing his mum.

They walked into the kitchen, in search of a snack, running back to the Evanses house had made them rather hungry. Sitting at the table with a mug of tea between her hands was Lily mum, Rose.

"Hello you two," she said without turning away from the newspaper in front of her, she had yet to see how soaked they were. "Feel free to have a small snack, I'll get to making supper in a moment or two."

Eileen then walked into the kitchen, about to offer to make supper, when she caught sight of her son and his best friend and their soaked clothes, "Heavens Severus! What did you do? Take a dip in the creek?" She pulled out her wand and dried them both off with a quick wave and a few muttered words.

Rose had turned around just before the widow had done that, she tutted and shook her head; Lily and Severus would catch their deaths if they kept this up. "Thank Miss Eileen, Lily," she said when her daughter had yet to say anything.

"Thank you, Miss Eileen," Lily recited dutifully before she turned back around and continued her search for food.

Severus turned and said, "Thanks mum, and thank you too, Mrs. Evans."

The mothers exchanged knowing looks and smiled slightly at each other, Eileen walked over and sat next to Rose and said quietly, so their children wouldn't hear, "I don't mean to rush you, but I would really prefer it if Severus and I made it to London tonight, we will have a long day tomorrow…" she trailed off, wondering how she would be able to convince her father to let her come back.

Rose smiled and said equally softly, "I understand, but Oliver and I have agreed that you and Severus have suffered a traumatic situation and a full night's sleep is what you both need – especially Severus. So you can either stay here for the night, by your own free will, or Oli and I get restraints and keep you here by force." Rose knew that together she and Oli wouldn't be a match for a witch and a young wizard… but, she had to try.

Eileen narrowed her eyes slightly at the Muggle, she had been trained as a healer when she was younger, and she hadn't forgotten a single lecture of her training, and what Rose said was true. But she would rather make it to London tonight, rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron, and then send a letter to her father explaining what had happened and request a meeting with him. If he agreed (which wasn't likely) she would be seeing him face to face for the first time in nearly thirteen years. She would have already apparated there with Severus, if she were fit enough; she hadn't apparated since Severus had been born, and she wasn't willing to risk either her or her son getting splinched.

Finally, she sighed and said, "Fine, Severus and I will stay the night here – but not a day more!" she had said that a little louder than intended, because Severus and Lily suddenly pounced on her and Rose, saying many a thanks.

**!REVIEW!**

The next day Eileen was up with the sun, along with Severus; they had both learned that rising early meant more time for them without Tobias around. Feeling obliged, Eileen set about making breakfast, seeing as how they had let them stay there for the night, and they were driving them to London.

It didn't take very long for all of the Evanses to wake up, and eat breakfast. Eileen, Severus, Rose, and Lily were on the road before 10:00 AM. The two best friends were sitting in the back, and the two adults were in the front, making small talk.

Severus and Lily, however, were quieter than they had ever been, not really knowing what to say to one another. They each were staring out their separate windows, wondering what they would do without their best friend by their side.

Looking the mirror to see what her son and his best friend was doing, Eileen's heart sank when she saw how they were sitting, looking their separate ways. "Rose, I hope I'm making the right choice…"

Looking briefly over at the witch who she had gotten to know better over the past day, she said, "Maybe you are, and maybe you aren't, but however it works out, I know you'll make the best of it, Eileen."

Eileen sighed and looked back at the mirror and saw her son staring back at her, she smiled at him through the mirror and he offered a weak one in return before he turned back to looking out the window.

She then turned her attention back to the road ahead of them, starting to recognize different landmarks that meant that they were getting close to the outskirts of London. In the next thirty minutes or so, they would be near The Leaky Cauldron.

Eileen was right, in exactly thirty-seven minutes Rose was pulling to a stop in front of the inn and was helping the Snapes get their things that had been salvageable from the fire out of the car. Eileen gave Rose and Lily a brief hug and watched as Severus tried to do the same, but Lily seemed to be determined to never let him go.

"Lily dear, let go of Severus, they have to go," Rose said as she tried to pry her daughter off of her best friend.

"Will I ever see you again, Sev?" She asked, speaking into his raven black locks.

Without hesitation, Severus answered, "Of course, you'll be going to… school… next year, and I'm certain that mum and I will come back and visit as often as possible. Isn't that right mum?" He looked over at his mother for help.

"Absolutely," Eileen said, slightly startled at being involved in their conversation.

"See, Lily," Severus asked as he tightened his arms around the redhead girl. "I will always be your friend, even if we're on opposite sides of the world."

Lily let out a sad sort of chuckle, reluctantly releasing her best friend. Wrapping her forefinger around his, she said, "I'll hold you to your word, Severus Snape."

"I wouldn't expect any less of you, Lily Evans," Severus said in return, giving her a pained sort of smile. Obviously, he was just as upset as Lily was about them moving, but being the stoic that he was, he didn't let his emotions take over him.

Sensing that it was a good time to be off, Rose laid a hand on her daughter's shoulder and with one last goodbye, they got back in their car and Severus and Eileen walked into the Leaky Cauldron – back into the Wizarding World.

"Ms. Prince!" Kip, the current owner of the pub shouted in surprise when he saw Eileen walk in. When his eyes landed on Severus, he corrected himself quickly, "My apologies, Mrs.-?"

"Snape," she answered coldly, not likely the strange looks she was getting from the other witches and wizards in the pub. "My son and I need a room to stay in just for the night, Kip."

"Oh!" he grabbed his set of keys and quickly ran around the bar and shouted over his shoulder, "Tom, watch the counter for a moment!"

Severus twisted his head around as he walked beside his mother to see that a boy about his age walked around the back of the counter as his father told him so. He wondered if Tom would be going to Hogwarts… the thought quickly left his mind as Kip led them upstairs and to the rooms he had above the pub.

"Here's one for you, Mrs. Snape, just been cleaned yesterday afternoon," Kip said as he copied the key to the room and handed it to her and left with a smile on his face. Severus would want to know about this…

Eileen sighed and ushered her eleven-year-old into the room, locking the door behind them, with the provided lock and her wand. She then set their things on one of the beds and stared at the desk that had a few rolls of parchment and an inkwell, equipped with a quill. Eileen knew that she couldn't just show up on her father's doorstep… but she didn't want to write him a letter either, knowing just how awkward that would be.

A knock sounded at their door, startling both of them. Motioning for Severus to stay back, she got her wand from the bed and slowly made her way towards the door; she undid the wards and the lock and opened the door just a sliver.

Whoever was on the other side gave Severus's mother quite a shock, she stumbled backwards and dropped her wand, letting the door swing wide open to reveal a tall, black haired, wizard in dark green robes. Severus sat on the far bed, wide-eyed as the wizard at the door walked in and engulfed his mother in a hug, he was even more confused when his mother returned the hug. "Eli, my dear Eli," Severus heard the tall man whispering to his mother as he clung to her as if it was the end of the world.

After what seemed an eternity to Eileen, her father slowly loosened his grip on her and pulled back from her and looked at her, "Eileen, you may be wondering after my sudden appearance here," she nodded shakily, her eyes wide. "Best to start at the beginning – days after your mother and I… _idiotically_ disinherited you, I asked Kip to let me know the second you came here, even if you just popped in for a second. And that's just what he did, bless his soul."

Again Eileen nodded, the shock still too fresh for her to form words, so her son did, "Mum, who's this?"

Both heads turned at looked at Severus, "This is my father – your grandfather. Severus Tiberius Prince."

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Yay! Short chapter! :D  
Obviously If a Great Wave Shall Fall is my main priority, and this is just a fun little thing on the side I can turn to when IGWSF gets on my nerves... it does, believe me!


	4. To the Hogwarts Express

**Disclaimer: **I am neither T.A. Barron nor J.K. Rowling, just a kid borrowing their ideas for fun

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_Whoever was on the other side gave Severus's mother quite a shock, she stumbled backwards and dropped her wand, letting the door swing wide open to reveal a tall, black haired, wizard in dark green robes. Severus sat on the far bed, wide-eyed as the wizard at the door walked in and engulfed his mother in a hug, he was even more confused when his mother returned the hug. "Eli, my dear Eli," Severus heard the tall man whispering to his mother as he clung to her as if it was the end of the world._

_After what seemed an eternity to Eileen, her father slowly loosened his grip on her and pulled back from her and looked at her, "Eileen, you may be wondering after my sudden appearance here," she nodded shakily, her eyes wide. "Best to start at the beginning – days after your mother and I… __**idiotically**__ disinherited you, I asked Kip to let me know the second you came here, even if you just popped in for a second. And that's just what he did, bless his soul."_

_Again Eileen nodded, the shock still too fresh for her to form words, so her son did, "Mum, who's this?"_

_Both heads turned at looked at Severus, "This is my father – your grandfather. Severus Tiberius Prince."_

Severus nodded, not entirely sure of what to say to that. Eileen smiled encouragingly to her son and then shut the door, taking that time to regain control of herself.

Severus Sr.'s grey eyes softened significantly and he asked, "This is my grandson?" He took a few steps towards Severus Jr. which caused him to get off the bed and back up against the wall. Seeing that, the older man stopped and asked quietly, "What's your name, young man?"

"S-Severus, like you," he stuttered, raising a hand to point at his grandfather while plastering himself to the wall. He was apprehensive of this new man, even if he was his mother's father.

Tears welled up in Severus Sr. eyes and he turned back to his daughter, "Di-did you name him after me?"

Eileen nodded unsteadily, tears flowing down her face, "I did."

It was all too much for Lord Prince; he collapsed on the bed and started crying. Eileen hesitated before she walked over to comfort her father, while Severus Jr. stayed against the wall, watching the scene before him with wide eyes, wondering what to make of it all. His mother and grandfather were now hugging and crying together, and Severus Jr. figured that he should do _something_, but he had no idea what. So he simply stayed where he was and observed the two Purebloods reunite.

It wasn't long before Lord Prince pulled himself back together, being a Pureblooded aristocrat and all. He wiped away his tears and stood, leaving Eileen on the bed, "Severus, come over here please, I'd like to look at you both…"

He stood frozen against the wall and didn't move until his mother called, "Come here Sev." Severus instantly obeyed and sat next to his mother, all the while keeping his grandfather within his sights.

This didn't go unnoticed by Lord Prince, but he didn't voice his concern aloud. He scanned over his daughter and grandson with his grey eyes, instantly noticing details he hadn't before. Eileen was sporting a black eye, split lip, obviously had a broken nose, and a splinted hand. And Severus Jr. looked small for his age, and far too wizened for his age. With narrowed eyes, Severus Sr. did his best to remain calm, even though he felt ready to take on Rhita Gawr himself. He asked coolly, "Eileen, what has happened to you both since we last spoke? Tell me now and with true words please."

Eileen sighed, she knew that this would be brought up sooner rather than later, "Might I tell you later on, with just us two, and perhaps mother?"

That request instantly peaked his interest along with his suspicion, but he wouldn't push it until later on, "Very well."

"Thank you," Eileen said softly, holding her son close to her.

Severus Sr. then drew a shaky breath and asked timidly, "Eli, could you ever forgive your mother and I for what we did?"

Eileen smiled and said, "Of course Daddy, I did a long time ago."

He smiled in relief and laughed softly, "How could I ever think otherwise of you, my dear Eli? You both must come home with me; I refuse to let another second pass without either of you directly in my life. And I know for certain that your mother would have my head if I returned without you two."

Eileen laughed; both of the Severuses savored the sound, it being a rare kind of music to their ears. "Of course Father, I can imagine Mother doing just that, then coming to get us herself." Severus Sr. merely smiled and levitated their few belongings over to him, he wanted to ask if that was all they had, but held his tongue, knowing that all would be explained when he and his wife, Elvina, would talk with their daughter.

The battered mother stood and took ahold of her son's hand, absolutely elated that it had worked out as well as it had. Her father took a small pouch out of one of his voluminous pockets in his dark sage robes, which Eileen instantly recognized to be Floo powder. She leaned over and whispered into her son's ear, "Sev, we're to travel by Floo. Take a pinch, throw it in the flames, clearly say whatever Grandpa Severus tells us to, step in and keep your elbows tucked. Okay?"

Severus Jr. looked alarmed but he nodded, trusting completely in his mother. She stood upright and looked to her father; he smiled softly at them and said, "Just say 'The Élanodragon Inn' and I'll already be there to meet you two. I'll have to walk you two into the Manor."

Eileen nodded, remembering that no one but the current master of any Prince owned Manor could Floo or apparate in. Severus Sr. handed Eileen the pouch and then apparated with Eileen's and Severus Jr.'s things to the Manor he and Elvina were currently staying at.

Eileen opened the pouch and held it out to her son for him to take a pinch, which he did, and she did the same before she secured the Floo powder in the pocket of her dress. "You go first, Sev, and I'll be right behind you."

"Alright mum," Severus said, and then threw his pinch of Floo powder into the flames and said, "The Élanodragon Inn." The fireplace burst green and with a glance back at his mother, Severus stepped into the strange flames, remembering to keep his elbows tucked.

When he stepped out of the fireplace, he stumbled and would have fallen if it weren't for two friendly hands that caught him. Looking up, Severus saw that it was his grandfather that was his savior. He gave the Pureblood a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he righted himself and attempted to brush the soot off. Moments later, his mother came through the Floo network; she walked gracefully out and had hardly any soot on her.

"Follow me, and do ignore anyone who stares." Severus Sr. said, leading them out of the private Floo room with his head held high. Eileen took Severus Jr.'s hand in hers and held tight to it, doing her best to not be noticed, although it was hard. Severus Sr. hardly ever came from the Princes' private Floo room with anyone other than his wife Elvina.

The owner of The Élanodragon had already been told by Lord Prince that he was bring back his daughter and grandson, and that he shouldn't say a word to anyone, but he couldn't help but stare at Eileen and Severus Jr. as they walked by. As did most of the people in the lower level of the Inn, unused to seeing a mother and her child so worn and drawn.

The trio walked out of the Inn and Severus Sr. headed to the right and walked with his recently reunited family members down the street in the small village in Wales once called Caer Vedwyn, but was now called Bontnewydd. And funnily enough, the county Bontnewydd was in was Gwynedd, which was what the natives of Wales had called their country many a years ago. Bontnewydd was one of the few villages where its inhabitants worked on the Estate owned by a family; in this case, the Prince family owned the Estate.

Nearly all of the people they passed along the way to Llafn y Bladur Manor said a friendly 'hello' or 'good day' to Lord Prince, and he politely returned with a slight nod of his head and continued walking as was his wont. But he gave them a terrifying glare if they decided to stare at his daughter and her son, and that made them quickly avert their eyes and keep going their way. This only happened a few times before Eileen caught what he was doing and promptly told him off. "Father, what in Merlin's good name are you doing?"

He wasn't expecting his daughter to tell him off for stopping passersby staring at her, and he only managed to splutter.

"Exactly what I thought," Eileen said. "Feel free to stop _your_ glaring. No matter what you and Mother do, people will talk, and to be honest I don't much care." And she kept walking, clutching her son's hand tightly.

"Nicely said, Mum," Severus said quietly.

Eileen smiled down at her son and said, "Thank you, Sev."

**!REVIEW!**

"Have you got everything packed, Sev?" Eileen asked her son, walking into the fair sized study that was now his.

Severus nodded, and looked up from the letter he was writing to Lily, "Yes Mum, I do. I packed last night, and then all three of you double checked to be certain that I hadn't forgotten anything."

Eileen rolled her eyes and then said, "Then get off of your bum and get out there. We'll be leaving soon – with or without you."

He gave her a mini glare and said, "What would be the point of going all the way to London without me when I'm the only one who needs be on that Express?"

She shrugged and said, "To prove a point. Now wrap up that letter young man, you can finish it on the train and come out to the front room when you finish." And Eileen swept from the room in her midnight blue Wizarding robes.

Severus shook his head and replaced his quill and inkwell in his kit and rolled up his unfinished letter and placed both in his rucksack. Inside the said rucksack were also a few books to read on the train ride and his 13" ebony wand with Thestral tail hair as its core. He threw it over his shoulder, grabbed his trunk, and walked quickly out of the study given to him by his grandparents, and he soon made it to the front room and was met by his family.

"Looking smart Sev," his Grandmother Elvina said proudly. He was wearing his new black dress pants and a grey-green dress shirt.

"Thank you, Grandmother," Severus said politely, still a little uneasy around them, but he had warmed up to them significantly compared to the first couple of days there.

"I will have to agree with them on this one, Sev. Those colours nicely offset your eyes and hair," his mother said, and then fondly mussed up his long black hair; Severus Jr. had gained some weight and an inch and now he didn't look quite as malnourished as he had beforehand.

"Mum," he complained lightly as he flattened his hair back down. "Why must you do that?"

"Because I am your mother and we do things like that, don't we Mother?" Eileen asked, shooting the last few words at her own mother.

"But of course!" Elvina exclaimed, smiling at her daughter. "Us mothers _live_ to muss up our children's hair. I'd do it now to Eli, but I might not have a hand before I'm through…."

Severus snickered and said cheekily, "That's highly possible. Mum has been known to be the violent type."

His mother narrowed her eyes at him, and he simply smiled innocently, "Smiling won't help you on this on Severus Prince." Shortly after they had moved in with her parents they both changed their last names to Prince, happily leaving behind Snape. She smirked and poked his nose and then said to her father, "Should we leave soon?"

He looked down at his pocket watch and nodded to her, "Yes, I would have liked for us to leave ten minutes ago. Shall we?"

Eileen nodded and placed her hand on her son's back and followed her parents out of the Manor and together they walked down the streets of the small village of Bontnewydd with his trunk floating behind them. They walked down the road of the mostly Muggle village and made it to the Élanodragon Inn, where the owner greeted them warmly. "Lord and Lady Prince, Miss Eileen and Young Severus! Going to King's Cross today?"

"Yes Lupin, we are, is your boy going as well?" Severus Sr. asked, stopping to talk with the other man.

"Aye sir, my Remus is off today. He and his mother should be heading out soon…" Peter Lupin trailed off, scratching his chin. Just then a mother and a scarred young boy came down the stairs, a trunk floating behind them, "Ah, there they are!" Peter exclaimed, pride evident on his face.

When the boy who Severus guessed to be Remus and his mother made it over to them, Peter introduced them, "Stella, Remus, this is Lord and Lady Prince, their daughter Eileen Prince, and her son, Severus Prince. M'Princes, this is my wife Stella and my boy Remus."

They all nodded politely to each other, and Remus gave Severus a slight smile and a tiny wave of his hand, which Severus somewhat returned.

Lord Prince looked down at his watch and said, "I do believe if we want these two boys to make the train we had better leave straight-away."

Stella looked at her own watch and said, "Goodness me, you're right! Come along Remus." She grabbed her son's shoulder and pushed him towards the queue that was at the public Floo in the Inn. While Lord Prince ushered his family towards their personal Floo in their private room. They would have allowed others to use their Floo, but only a person with Prince Blood in their veins could go in that room, unless they were a house-elf and were going to clean it.

One by one the Prince family stepped out of the Floo and onto Platform 9¾ and with a few hugs and kisses, Severus made it on to the train with all his things five minutes before eleven. He hoped that Remus was going to make it, he seemed like a nice kid. Maybe they could be friends….

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'Nother chapter for you guys there, sure has been a long while.

Just a quick reminder, Severus and Remus are a year ahead of the normal Marauder era people. And this story is completely AU, the only thing cannon are the basics.

And thank you Ailavyn Siniyash for indirectly helping me come up with several ideas that I would have thought of too late!

Leave a reveiw if you want to! But... please do?


	5. The Sorting

**Disclaimer: **Now ask yourselves this dandy question: Do I sound anything like either T.A. Barron or J.K. Rowling?

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Just as Severus grew tired of watching the passing scenery and was pulling out a well-worn book to read, there was a knock on his compartment door. He looked up and saw through the glass that it was Remus Lupin, the boy he had met in the Élanodragon Inn. Severus set aside his book and waved for the boy to enter. The scarred, skinny boy smiled and slid the door open and waved and greeted him in a timid voice, "Hullo."

"Hello," Severus returned, attempting to smile. "Care to sit down?"

"Thank you," Remus said, quickly taking a seat across from Severus. "Everywhere else is full…"

Severus merely nodded, his eyes straying to The Hobbit that was partially under his leg, but his mother and grandparents had taught him better than that. He said, trying to make small talk, "How long were you looking for a compartment?"

Lupin scratched the back of his head and said, "I was the last one to leave the Inn and the only First year, so everyone else had somewhere to go, and everywhere was full by then, so… ever since we left the station."

Severus grimaced sympathetically, knowing how the other boy felt about being left out very well. "I guess it's a good thing you came by here."

"Yeah," Lupin said awkwardly, picking at a loose string on the seat. An uncomfortable silence fell over their compartment, until Lupin thought of something to talk about, "So, Prince, which house do you think you'll get into?"

"Either Slytherin or Ravenclaw," Severus answered without hesitation, relieved at a chance to eliminate silence between them. But then he suddenly became worried; what if the other boy took offence at him wanting to be in Slytherin? The House that his family had been in for years didn't exactly have the best reputation at the moment, but before his emotions could overtake him and subsequently his wayward magic (which he gained more control over once he got his wand), he asked, "What about you, Lupin?"

"Call me Remus please, and I haven't any idea…" the sandy-haired boy trailed off. He could tell that that slightly shorter boy was nervous (he was too!) and it wasn't hard to figure out what he was nervous about. The other boy probably figured that he would look down on him for wanting to be in the House of Snakes, but he wouldn't. It wasn't his place to, and frankly he could care less; he had no right to look down on other people for two reasons. One – he was poorer than most and two – he turned into a savage beast once a month.

"Call me Severus then," he said in a neutral voice, inwardly relieved that he hadn't blown their chances of being friends by revealing that he wanted in Slytherin. He stuck his hands under his legs and leaned forward slightly and asked, "What are you traits?"

"Well-" he was interrupted by the sound of the compartment door opening. Looking over, Severus found that it was Tom Demeter, the Leaky Cauldron's owner's son – Remus recognized him as well.

"Mind if I join in?" the boy asked shyly, fiddling with a loose screw on the door with one hand and doing the same with a button on the bottom of his shirt with the other hand. It wasn't hard to see that he was taller than both Severus and Remus, nor was it hard to see that he was far more sheepish than them both.

"Absolutely," Remus said, patting the seat next to him, but then looked over at Severus, "If that's alright with you of course…"

Severus blinked in surprise and said, "I don't mind at all. Come in Demeter."

Demeter gave them a small and relieved smiled and said, "Thanks, and it's Tom. What were you guys talking about?"

"What houses we thought we would be in," Remus answered, and then filled him in. "Severus here thinks that he'll either be in Slytherin or Ravenclaw, and I haven't the slightest idea." Severus lowered his eyes slightly, waiting for the gasp or frightened stare to come from the newcomer, but it never did.

"Oh I know I'll be in Hufflepuff," Tom answered right away, not caring in the least that Severus wanted in Slytherin; he didn't quite understand what all the foofaraw was about that particular House. So what if a bunch of Dark Wizards came from there? The other Houses had their fair share of them, but that was overlooked because Slytherin obviously produced the most. He slid the door shut behind him and then looked Remus over. "I'd say that you might be in Gryffindor… maybe Ravenclaw, or maybe even Hufflepuff with me!" He finished off while plopping down next to Remus as he was the more familiar of the two boys.

Remus chuckled and said, "I'm not smart enough to be a Ravenclaw, and I'm not certainly brave enough to be a Gryffindor." He knew that Tom wouldn't react like others might to someone wanting to be in the least popular House.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, Remus," Severus said, relieved that he had managed to find two other boys who didn't give a flying wyvern about the House prejudices. "My mother has always told me that we're placed in the house that best fits us based on inner traits, and that who we think we are isn't necessarily who we really are." Both Remus and Tom had furrowed brows and were exchanging confused looks. Seeing this, Severus explained, "The Sorting Hat could place us in a house we never thought that it would."

"Oh," Tom said, understanding a little better. "What's the Sorting Hat?"

"Don't you know?" Severus asked, pulling his hands out from under his legs and stood up to grab his bag off of the rack. Sitting back down he shuffled through it and pulled out an even older and more ragged looking book and leafed through it until he found the page that he wanted then handed it over to the other two boys and sat as they read the page together. The book he had handed over was from his Grandfather and as good as having your own personal guide to _everything_ about Hogwarts; it was far more informing than Hogwarts: A History and much, much more helpful.

Remus flipped the cover up as Tom was finishing up the last paragraph, trying to see what the title of the book was, but found none. "What's this book called? I've never seen anything like it before…"

Severus smirked, feeling more at ease with the two boys now than he had beforehand. "My Grandfather gave it to me – I'm not entirely sure what it's called, or where he got it, and I don't much care. Its loads better than any other guides made about Hogwarts."

"Really?" Tom asked, now looking at the faded blackish-brown cover with Remus, "You're Grandfather is Severus T. Prince, isn't he?"

Severus nodded, "He is. It was confusing at first when we moved in, because we're both called Severus, and then Mother changed our last name to Prince as well, so now even our initials are the same."

Remus chuckled and asked, "What's your middle name then? Mine's John."

"Mines Lawrence," Tom added helpfully, interested in what his new found friend's middle name was.

Severus sighed and said, "It was Tobias – after my father, but my Mum wanted it changed and let me pick. I chose Titus."

Tom's face clouded over in confusion and said, "Where's your Dad then, and why'd she want to change it? I only saw you and your Mum walk into the Cauldron…"

Severus cleared his throat and said, "Dead – our house burnt down and the pitiful bastard was too drunk to get out before my Mum's potion ingredients blew in the basement. She wanted it changed it for the same reason she changed our last name – to rid ourselves of all connections to _him_."

"Oh…" Remus said, not entirely sure what to say, because it sounded to him that Severus didn't like his father, _at all_.

He shrugged and said, "It's his own fault, and I've got no complaints, as far as I'm concerned it was one of the best things that has ever happened to us. My Mum and I went from living in the crappiest part of town you could imagine, without a pence to our name to living in Llafn y Bladur Faenor with more money than I would ever want."

Remus understood perfectly all that Severus had just said, but one look over at Tom, it was obvious that he didn't. "A pence is Muggle money and Llafn y Bladur Faenor is Welsh for Asphodel Manor.

"How do you know that, Remus?" Severus asked, curious. "The pence part."

"Oh well, you know that we're more lenient with the Statue of Secrecy than others are – at least we are in Bontnewydd – so we have Muggle customers more often than Magical ones just to watch Dad clean up," Remus explained. "It makes things loads easier too."

"We're more lenient with the Secrecy Decree because my Grandfather owns the village and doesn't give a rat's arse about the Statue," Severus offered. "I learned that within the first few days that we were there. He told me that he could and would do whatever he liked, and would like to see the Ministry try and stop him." He smirked, remembering the indignant look on his Grandfather's face when he had told him that.

Remus grinned and so did Tom; the Londoner said, "So you mean to say that when you're of age you could do magic in the streets and not have to worry about Muggles having a fit?"

"Well…" Severus said, looking over at Remus. "My Grandfather said that as long as we do magic indoors, no Ministry hounds will be coming to bother us. I say 'us' meaning the small population of adult magical folk living in Bontnewydd."

"That's brilliant!" Tom said, coming out of his introverted shell, "I want to live there!"

Remus and Severus laughed and the werewolf pup said, "Well, I don't think that your Dad would be willing to part with the Cauldron but I'm sure I could persuade my Dad to call on Mr. Demeter to have a 'business chat' and have you tag along."

"And if that doesn't work, I could always invite both of you to the Manor over a holiday," Severus supplied, hoping that he wasn't being too forward with his new friends.

"That would be great, Severus!" Remus exclaimed, an excited light shining in his eyes. "I've always wondered what Llafn y Bladur Faenor looked like on the inside… it must be incredible!"

"I wouldn't mind visiting both of your places," Tom said, grinning from ear to ear. "Anything has got to be better than the upstairs of the Cauldron."

"_I wouldn't be so sure…"_ Severus thought, knowing for a fact that his old house had been a hell-hole unfit for even the foulest people of the worst town in the world.

"Well, the upstairs of the Élanodragon isn't all that grand," Remus said, "I dunno why you would want to see it."

"It's new and different!" Tom exclaimed, waving his arms animatedly, he was about to say something more but someone interrupted him.

The door opened and an elderly witch asked, "Anything from the trolley, dears?"

"Er… d'you guys want anything? My treat?" Severus asked, quirking an eyebrow at the other two boys.

"I've got a snack…" Remus said, slightly uncomfortable, and Tom nodded in agreement with Remus, quickly becoming silent as was his wont when he became uncomfortable.

Severus rolled his eyes and said as he stood, "So do I, but I'm not really hungry for a sandwich at the moment." He walked over to the witch and said, "I'll take three Cauldron Cakes, Pumpkin Pasties, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, and Chocolate Frogs, please."

She smiled and took all that he had asked for off of her trolley and handed it over to him and he promptly tossed all of it back on his seat so his hands were free to pay her. "That'll be four Galleons, seven Sickles and fifteen Knuts."

Severus nodded and counted out what was asked and handed it over with a smile, "Thank you ma'am. Good day to you."

"And to you too, young man," She said, happy to find a polite student, most of them just wanted their candy and tried to cheat her out of how much money she was due. She kept her walking down the aisle and selling her candy.

Severus closed the compartment door and turned back to his friends and divided the candy up, tossing a third at Remus and a third at Tom, keeping the rest, and said, smiling, "My treat."

Tom laughed weakly and said, "You're stubborn enough to be a Gryffindor."

Severus faked choking and said, "Oh don't say that! My family has been in either Slytherin or Ravenclaw since the first Prince came to Hogwarts! I don't plan on breaking that tradition while I'm here."

Remus laughed then too and said, "Aw, Tom, now that I think about it, Severus would make a _great _Gryffindor, don't you think?"

Severus covered his ears and said very loudly, "LA LA LA LA LA I'M NOT LISTENING, LA LA LA LA." The main reason his magic wasn't lashing out like it normally would when he became agitated like he was now was because his grandfather had been working with him on his control ever since he had accidently exploded the better half of the wall in his room after having a violent nightmare.

The other two boys were in stiches now; Tom tried to talk, "O-okay, Severus," he burst into another bout of giggles.

Remus picked up where Tom left off, "We'll s-stop," he tried to stop laughing, but one look at Severus's face set him off again.

Severus crossed his arms at stared at them until they finally stopped and he asked coolly, "Are you two quite finished?"

"Yep," Tom said, nodding while picking up his box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and opening it. He popped one in his mouth but quickly spat it back, "Eww! That tasted like rotten eggs!"

Severus smirked and chuckled, "You would know what that tastes like why?"

Tom said while scrapping his tongue, "Gross, sweet Merlin – once some idiotic customer decided it be funny to leave their breakfast hidden under their bed – rotten eggs smell as bad as they taste."

Severus and Remus's face were screwed up in distaste and sympathy; Remus said, "Eat your Pumpkin Pasty then, it might help with the taste."

Tom nodded and quickly pealed back the plastic wrapping around the delicious pumpkin treat and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing with his mouth barely closed. Severus and Remus snickered when Tom was over dramatic in showing his relief.

A few hours later, Severus, Remus, and Tom were in their uniforms and were getting off of the Hogwarts' Express, "Firs' years! Firs' years! Over here! Firs' years!"

Severus knew about Rubeus Hagrid, but it was still quite a shock to see a near twelve foot man, "Come on," Severus said, breaking his two friends out of their stupors.

"C'mon, this way – is that all of yeh? Mind yer step, now!" the half-giant shouted, leading them down a steep narrow path. Severus and Tom could barely see where they were going, it was so dark, but Remus was having no problem whatsoever. "Firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec – jus' round this here bend…"

There was a collective gasp of awe as their narrow path opened suddenly and let them out at the edge of a vast black lake – _the_ Black Lake. Perched on a mountain which was on the other side of the lake was Hogwarts; it had many turrets and towers, all with glittering windows like the night sky.

"Only four ter a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing a meaty hand towards a fleet of little boats in the water by the shore that the First Years hadn't noticed before; there couldn't have been more than eight or nine boats there.

Severus and his two friends quickly claimed a boat as did all of the other eleven-year-olds, except for one strapping boy who was standing somewhat awkwardly by himself on the shore. All of the other boats were already filled except for theirs – deciding to be brave, Tom waved him over and he immediately walked to them and took the seat next to Severus without a word.

"Everyone in a boat?" asked Hagrid, looking around; he had an entire boat to himself. "Right – FORWARD!" The miniature sized boats all moved at once, gliding across the lake, leaving small wakes behind them in the otherwise placid water.

"Mind yer heads!" Hagrid warned as the first couple of boats reached a cliff; ducking, Severus and his two friends and the other boy were carried under a shroud of ivy that was concealing an opening in the cliff face and they were plunged into darkness. From what Severus could gather, they were in a tunnel, going completely under the castle perched atop the mountain, he was going to voice his opinion to his friends but they reached a sort of underground harbour where they all clambered out of their boats.

"Oi, you there!" Hagrid shouted, pointing a girl with sleek red hair, "Is tha' yer bag?" He had been checking the boats as the students left them.

"Yes!" she said, her high cheekbones flushing a dark red, rushing forward to grab her bag just as everyone else followed Hagrid's lamp which was going up a passage way. They finally came out onto a green just in the shadow of the looming castle. He led them up a flight of stone steps and they crowded around him and the huge, oaken front door. Hagrid raised a gigantic meaty fist and knocked three times on the door.

It swung open before the half-giant had time to lower his fist and a tall, black-haired witch in maroon robes stood there, her stern face was almost a match for Severus's Grandmother's, but he still reasoned that she was not someone to be crossed.

"The firs' years, Professor," Hagrid said, scratching his nose which was somewhat hidden under his bushy mustache and beard.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I shall take them from here," the professor said as she pulled the door wider and the students filed in, marveling at the size of the entrance hall.

"The whole Leaky Cauldron could fit in here!" Tom whispered to Remus and Severus. There were flaming torches attached to the walls but they weren't lit up high enough for him to make out the ceiling; there were two sets of marble staircases on both sides of a pair of tall double doors, from which Severus and several others could hear the din of hundreds of voices.

"_The rest of the school must already be in there…" _Severus mused as the professor led them across the flagged stone and took them to a small, empty chamber off of the main hall and they ambled in, having more than enough room to stand in separate little pods of friends, looking about nervously.

"This is the smallest class I've seen in a long while," the professor said, looking at them all over her square rimmed glasses. She cleared her throat and said, "No matter – I am Professor McGonagall and welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend your free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.-"

"_Of course she said Slytherin last," _Severus thought scathingly, his mother had told him that Professor McGonagall was the Head of Gryffindor and it was common knowledge that Slytherin and Gryffindor were rivals.

"-Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards.-"

"_She didn't want to say that," _Severus thought, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes slightly, _"She must be reciting a script of some sort. No one in times like these would say that about Slytherin. Because, which house does the stupider half of the Wizarding world think all of the Dark wizards have come from? __**Slytherin**__."_

"-While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of each year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I would suggest that you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting, but I daresay I needn't." She gave them one of her smiles which they all would learn soon enough that it was a rarity as she swept her eyes over the small crowd of first years approvingly, seeing that they all were very sharp looking. "I shall return when we are ready for you – please wait quietly." She left the chamber and Severus heard someone gulp rather loudly.

There were soft whispers throughout the chamber as other kids talked about the Sorting and what it would entail. Not five minutes later, Professor McGonagall was back, "Form a line, if you would, and follow me." They all jumped into a line with Remus in the lead and Severus and Tom following directly after and they walked out of the chamber, across the hall again, and through the double doors at the entrance of the Great Hall.

It was a magnificent sight to behold; there were thousands of floating candles that were hovering over four long tables where all of the other students were sitting – the tables themselves had golden goblets and plates and there were several ghosts here and there, chattering with students. At the end of the hall was one more long table where the teachers were sitting and the headmaster. Severus was more fascinated with the headmaster's golden and intricate chair than anything else… until he looked up and saw that the ceiling was bewitched to look like the night sky. It was as if there was no ceiling and the Great Hall simply opened up to the night sky, the correct constellations and stars were even in place. He looked back down just in time to stop as Professor McGonagall came to a halt just below the table that the professors were sitting at.

She conjured a four-legged stool and placed it down silently in front of them, and on that she placed a pointed wizard's hat which was patched and frayed and looked to be quite dirty. It was the Sorting Hat. It twitched and a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and it began to sing:

_Oh, many a years ago_

_When I was newly sewn_

_The greatest wizard the world did know_

_Sat beneath my brim._

_Most know him as Merlin_

_And few know him by his birth name_

_He came by his new name when trusty friend_

_Trouble, the feisty merlin met his end._

_Although, when he placed me on his head_

_He certainly was no lad_

_And it was not in public_

_Nay, he tried me on in secret._

_He was older than I care to say_

_Older than our Founders Four_

_And wiser than them all _

_He wanted to know where he belonged._

_In Gryffindor he would have done well_

_His heart was as true as they come_

_And he was as courageous as Lord Gryffindor_

_But the House of Lions was not for him._

_While he was the greatest wizard of all time_

_The smartest, the wittiest, the most well read_

_He did not fit_

_Amongst the Eagles._

_He was fairer than most_

_Merlin gave Rhita Gawr a second chance_

_But being kind and patient like all Badgers are_

_Were not his prominent qualities._

_Where the Snakes dwelt was where he belonged_

_He was cunning and_

_Was the best at plotting evildoers' ends_

_Does this surprise you?_

_So you see_

_Not everyone who is a Snake_

_Will aspire to do dastardly deeds_

_No, I daresay we'd be lost without those cunning folk!_

An unnatural silence fell over the entire hall, but then Severus and a number of Slytherin started clapping, and others joined in, until most everyone was clapping as well. Severus and his two friends noticed that the least amount of clapping was coming from what appeared to be the Gryffindor table – apparently they didn't like the fact that Merlin would have been in Slytherin had he come to Hogwarts. But it made Severus feel great, and he imagined that it made the Slytherins happy as well.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, looking slightly disgruntled, with a roll of parchment, "When I call your name, you will step forward, put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She said and the consulted her list before she called out the first name, "Abbott, Meredith!"

A rosy-cheeked girl with loose blonde hair walked calmly out of the line and up to the stool, she placed the hat on her head and sat down. Without hesitation, the hat called, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the first year's immediate right cheered and clapped for their new member as Abbott went to sit with her house. There was a jolly looking ghost by the Hufflepuff table and he waved at her merrily.

"Adder, Jessica!" A haughty looking girl swaggered up to the stool and placed the hat on her head.

It had been sitting on her head for a total of one second when it shouted, "SLYTHEIRN!" She smirked from under the hat and then sauntered off to the table directly on the first year's left; the Slytherins were clapping politely for her.

"Addison, James!" this boy had a stupid grin on his face as he walked up to the stool and sat down with it on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" it shouted and Severus snickered as his face fell. McGonagall had to give him a little nudge to get off of the stool and walk over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Babcock, Robert!" a skinny boy with black hair and freckles stepped up the stool and sat under it for a few moments, squirming slightly.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted and the boy hurried off to the table closest to the wall on the left; they welcomed him warmly and shook his hand.

"Boot, Harold!" a nervous looking boy with surprisingly blue eyes and light tan hair scampered up to the stool and sat down with the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the table on the far right exploded in cheers and Severus rolled his eyes. Boot hurried off to the Gryffindor table and he was greeted with many claps to the back as he sat down

"Brawdy, Hope!" a petite girl stepped forward, she had glasses and her brown hair was in two braids down her back.

"RAVENCLAW!" the second table on the left cheered again and shook the girl's hand as she took a seat next to Babcock.

And so it continued. Severus grew bored of paying attention to what the owners of the names Professor McGonagall was calling looked like and instead paid attention to only their names and which houses they went into. Jason Brawdy went into Hufflepuff – he must have been Hope Brawdy's brother. Samson Brocklehurst went to Ravenclaw and Arthur Brown went to Slytherin, while Romulus Carson went to Gryffindor. _"Romulus…" _Severus mused, looking up to watch the smirking boy as he walked over to the Gryffindor table who were cheering loudly for him, _"Romulus and Remus were brothers in the old Roman myth... fascinating…." _He set his gaze at the wall behind the High Table and listened to who went where again.

Jeffery Celestia went to Ravenclaw as did Penelope Clarke (she was the girl who left her bag on one of the boats), and William Daimler went to Gryffindor. "Demeter, Tomas!" Severus's eyes snapped to the back of his friend and gave him what he hoped looked like a reassuring smile when the boy looked back uncertainly. The lanky eleven-year-old smiled back and walked up and shakily sat down one the stool as the hat fell over his eyes.

It was a good two minutes before the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Severus allowed himself a small smile as Tom grinned widely and slid off the stool and quickly made his way over to the Hufflepuff table, they all were cheering and clapping for him loudly.

Severus was about to go back to his mindless staring at the wall but an odd name caught his attention, "Derby, Zeus!" He watched as the boy who had shared their boat walked noiselessly up to the stool and sat down.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted without hesitation, and Severus saw the tiniest hint of satisfaction cross the boy's face before it went solid again and he walked over to the Slytherin table, sitting down at the table so he was directly across from where Severus was standing. He was watching the newest Slytherin out of the corner of his eye and noticed for the first time that he had one blue eye and one grey.

He lost interest as the Sorting continued, but he still noted who went to what house. Prudence Echols went to Hufflepuff, Deborah Farley went to Gryffindor, and Elanna Forbes went to Ravenclaw. Faith Green went to Slytherin but her twin brother, Logan Green went to Gryffindor with Caroline Grenwich. Jeoff Kendra went to Hufflepuff and Slytherin gained Flora Lewis. He started paying attention again when Remus's name was called.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat screamed before Remus even had the chance to sit down on the stool. Severus wanted to laugh at his friend's bewildered face, but settled for a smirk – he was now the heir to one of the most prestigious Pureblood families in the Wizarding World, he couldn't go around being unrefined! McGonagall continued with Jerome MacDougal who went to Slytherin, and then Timothy Mick went to Hufflepuff. Laura Nicholson went to Gryffindor, and then he was called, "Prince, Severus!" The headmaster's eyes instantly went to him – his grandfather mentioned that he might pay attention to him as they had been friends at Hogwarts during their time there as students.

Severus strode out of the line and up to the stool (ignoring the headmaster's stare), placing the hat on his head as he hoisted himself up onto the stool. He was slightly startled when a small voice gasped in his ear.

"_What?"_ Severus thought, furrowing his brow, wondering what had startled the hat.

The hat sighed and said, "Later, my boy, I must sort you first… where should I put you then? You've a mind worthy of a Ravenclaw… but you have a powerful thirst to prove yourself… better be SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted the last word for the entire hall to hear, but it wasn't done there. It said aloud for everyone to hear, "Here, beneath me sits the last in line for a wizard of truest form."

There was a sudden ripple of murmurings and whispers throughout the hall as Severus slid off of the stool and replaced the hat, giving it a strange look as he walked over to the Slytherin table. He was about to sit across from Derby, but an older boy with pale blonde hair and a pointed chin waved him over.

"Prince," the teen said in a smooth voice as Severus sat down next to him.

"Yes?" Severus asked, wondering what he wanted.

"I am Lucius Malfoy, call me Lucius though," He had a charming smile on his face, but Severus wasn't fooled, his Grandfather had also warned him about the Malfoys. He had said that they're family had always been one to dabble in the Dark Arts, and Severus wanted none of that. "My friends and I were wondering what the hat meant when it said that you were the last in line for a wizard of the truest form?"

Severus shrugged, not really liking how Lucius was looking at him with a glint in his eye, "I haven't got a clue." Something told him that it would be a bad idea to tell the teen that it had gasped when he sat down.

Lucius was looking at him like he didn't exactly believe him, "Really now? Hmm… that _is_ curious…."

Severus arched an eyebrow and said, "What's curious?"

"Oh," the pale-blonde haired boy said, acting surprised that Severus had heard him at all. "It's nothing… but… the last time the hat said anything other than which house a student was in, it didn't bode well for them is all. But I'm certain that you won't accidently fall in the lake like they did and be kidnapped by the Merpeople that live there." He finished with a shrug. The blonde girl sitting across from Malfoy rolled her eyes, knowing full well that that never happened.

"Prince, don't listen to him – the arrogant prat – nothing happened the last time the hat spoke out, and I seriously doubt something will happen this time," the blonde teen said, smiling at him. "I'm Narcissa Black, by the way, and welcome to Slytherin."

Severus nodded and somewhat returned the smile, "Severus Prince, and thank you – if that's all, I think I might just go back and sit with an acquaintance of mine.…"

Malfoy jutted his chin in the air and Severus stood and walked back over to Derby, nodding to the muscular boy before he sat down. He looked over his shoulder just in time to watch McGonagall pick up the stool and the hat and walk away with it. "Darn," he said under his breath.

"What?" Derby asked, surprising Severus.

"Oh, I was hoping to catch the last few names and which house they were sorted into… nothing important," Severus said, waving his hand dismissively.

Derby slid a bit of parchment over which had a list of thirty-two surnames and a house name next to it. Severus smirked, glad that he wasn't the only one thinking that way, "Thanks," he said, perusing the names that came after 'Prince' and their houses. Todd was now a Ravenclaw, Sumpter was a Gryffindor, Wood was a Ravenclaw as well and Zabini was a Slytherin with them.

A silence fell over the Hall as Albus Dumbledore stood and was beaming at his students, like nothing would have made him happier than seeing them all there, "Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few choice words: Exsibilation! Knismesis! Hadeharia! Liripip!

"Thank you!" Dumbledore sat back down and everyone clapped and cheered and Severus (along with a good number of Slytherins) merely sat there. His grandparents and mother had forewarned him that the headmaster spewed nonsense before the start-of-term banquet, but it still stunned him slightly. Severus turned his attention back to the table and his eyes widened slightly when he saw all of the food in front of him.

Derby was already filling his plate with food – healthy food at that – as was most of the other students. Seeing this, Severus then helped himself to some turkey and salad, knowing full well that both his mother and grandmother would get on to him if he had anything less nutritious than that in their presence, and he felt the need as he had some candy earlier. As he was eating, the hairs on the back of his neck rose, alerting him to someone or something coming up from behind him, turning, he saw that it was the Bloody Baron standing there, staring at him with his wide dark eyes.

"Can I help you, sir?" Severus asked politely, wondering what he could do to get the ghost moving along as quickly as possible, as he was unnerving him.

A light of recognition entered the dark eyes and the Bloody Baron said in his infamous hoarse whisper, "You're the one…"

Waiting a few moments to see if the ghost would continue what he was saying, Severus asked, "The one what?"

The gaunt-faced ghost said no more, but simply glided through Severus, chilling him to the bone, then through Derby, making him shiver, and he exited the Hall, floating over the Ravenclaw table and through the wall.

Derby sent him a questioning glance and Severus shrugged and went back to eating his supper.

**!REVIEW!**

After the banquet and all of the students were settled in their dorms, Albus Dumbledore held a meeting with the Heads of Houses to discuss the new first years, mainly one Severus Prince Jr.

"That boy's magic was pulsating the entire banquet!" Horace Slughorn exclaimed happily, a wide grin on his face. "He will undoubtedly become a _very _powerful wizard one day."

Minerva McGonagall rolled her eyes, slightly jealous of Slytherin gaining Mr. Prince, "I will not deny that he gave off a powerful feeling when I lead them into the Hall."

"Hah!" Horace exclaimed triumphantly.

"Now that is enough," Albus said with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. "Mr. Prince Jr. is indeed a powerful young lad and I get the feeling that he will have trouble controlling his magic – more so than we would – if he were thrust into a situation that upsets him in any way, especially since he's a Prince! Merlin knows that the Princes have the worst temper possible."

"What do you suggest we do, Albus?" Pomona Sprout questioned. "To keep him out of such situations, that is?"

The headmaster smiled and said, "Oh, nothing. We cannot give him any special attention just because he drew our attention at the banquet, but we will have to keep an eye on him. Not to mention we will be doing him no favours keeping him from such situations – how will the boy ever grow?"

Filius Flitwick rolled his eyes, "I think that we should at least give him extra lessons to help him tune his magic – I'd be more than willing as I am a skilled duelist."

"That won't be necessary, Filius," Albus said, still smiling. "Severus Sr. sent an owl with some useful instructions on how to calm the boy down if he does get worked up."

"Why didn't you say this before?" Horace questioned, curious.

The former Gryffindor shrugged and said, "There wasn't a proper time to do so – I had no idea just _how_ powerful young Severus was." The four Heads huffed (either externally or internally) at that. "Anyways, Slytherin has gained eight new students, Hufflepuff seven, Gryffindor nine, and Ravenclaw eight. This is the smallest class that we have had in a long while, but I think perhaps the best – certainly the best behaved. Input?"

"I concur," Minerva said. "Unlike last year's first years they stood silently and didn't try to prank me when I came back in." The human battle-axe glared at nothing in particular.

"Yes," Filius said, "I am and I am not looking forward to this year – because of new students and… returning students. Honestly Albus, you should be stricter with them, never have I seen students get away with so much!"

"I have to agree with Filius on this, headmaster," Pomona said. "More than once I have had to replace plants in the Greenhouses – with my own money no less – because that rowdy group of Gryffindors decided to use them for practicing their Quidditch skills."

"And thrown expensive potion ingredients at other students when my back was turned," Horace added sternly, staring unwaveringly at Albus.

"Now, now, calm down for just a moment-" he was cut off by a sudden explosion of white light just to the right of his desk.

When the light subsided, a rather odd looking fellow was standing there, grinning. After the five witches and wizards all had gotten over their shock, they had their wands out and pointed directly at him. He look curiously at them, "My, my, this generation of magical folk certainly is strange… why in Avalon's ancient name are you pointing sticks at me?"

"Sticks?" Minerva repeated outraged, who was he to call her wand a stick?

"Yes, sticks," the odd fellow answered, confused. "I didn't stutter did I?"

Albus stood and said dangerously, "You will tell me who you are and how you got past Hogwarts' wards. This instant."

The odd fellow and complied, "I am nobody, or as the bards tend to call someone like me, Nohbdy. But I do fancy going by the name of Emrys."

"How did you manage to get past the wards?" Albus repeated in a low and threatening voice – he wasn't the headmaster for nothing.

"Wards?" Emrys asked, tilting his head to the side slightly, the same way his beard was pointing. "Oh, you mean those annoying things that tickled me when I was Leaping here?"

"Incarcerous!" Albus shouted, large ropes shot from his wand, heading straight for Emrys, but he sidestepped them.

"Now that is no way to treat a guest!" he shouted disapprovingly. "I think that I will take those _rude_ sticks, if you please." Holding his hand out, palm up, their wands were jerked from their hands and landed in his and he pocketed them in his ragged clothing.

Flabbergasted, Albus asked, sounding a little less certain of himself, "Why are you here?"

"A question I can answer!" Emrys said, smiling brightly and clapping his hands together. "I am here on the account of Severus Snape – er – Prince I believe he changed his name to, ruddy shame. It is vital that you keep him away at all costs from the idiot who will start calling himself Lord Voldemort in just a few short years. Severus is needed elsewhere, to help win a different war – when he is older and more experienced of course – but he is destined for something other than aiding you-" he pointed at the headmaster, his young but old eyes becoming incredibly stern, "-as you hope he will one day in squashing that irksome man."

"What is that something else?" Horace asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Emrys smiled mystically and said, "Because I have Leaped ahead to the future, I know exactly what that something is… but I shall not tell you as it is of no worry to you. But I will say that the great Dagda has told me personally that young Severus will help contain mankind's worst enemy. It is my job to guide Severus in learning to control the Eopia Magic which is always worse when we are young, and it is also my job to keep one Albus Dumbledore from swaying him from the path laid before him. And I'm guessing that you, my good man, happen to be Albus Dumbledore."

Albus furrowed his eyebrows, and he repeated, "The great Dagda?"

"Of course!" Emrys said, "Dagda rules the good half of the Otherworld and he knows all! Surely, even this generation, has heard of Dagda?"

"We have," Filius said angrily. "But only an insane person believes that Dagda is actually real!"

"FOR SHAME ON YOUR MOUTH!" Emrys roared fury alight in his young-old eyes.

The staff sat in shock – this was obviously an insane wizard who had escaped from some sort of hospital. "Emrys, that is your name isn't it?" Pomona asked, deciding to take a different approach that what her colleagues had.

"Emrys Nohbdy to be correct," he said with an elaborate bow while taking his lopsided hat off, revealing a glass bottle with a roll of parchment in it on his head. "Might one ask what your name is, fair maiden?"

Pomona smiled, "Pomona Sprout. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to start at the beginning of your story as starting in medias res isn't helping anyone at the moment."

Emrys smiled and said, "Very well… it all began, thousands of years ago when a black-haired boy awoke on the shores of Gwynedd, now Wales."

* * *

Emrys... I don't think that Pomona meant _that _beginning, but oh well!

Hello my dear readers! Tis been ages since I've updated this lovely story and I must admit that I worked on this one just to avoid working on IGWSF... not good, right? But good for you people!

Please review!


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